Fact check: What are the most-watched programs on CNN, Fox News, and MSNBC in the 2025 season?

1. Summary of the results

Based on the comprehensive ratings data from multiple sources, the most-watched programs on the three major cable news networks in 2025 are clearly established:

Fox News dominates viewership with The Five consistently ranking as the most-watched cable news program, averaging 3.53 million viewers in July 2025 ^[1] and 3.851 million viewers in the second quarter of 2025 ^[2]. The network's top five programs are:

• The Five (3.528 million viewers)
• Jesse Watters Primetime (3.144 million viewers)
• Gutfeld! (2.908 million viewers)
• Hannity (2.663 million viewers)
• Special Report with Bret Baier (2.609 million viewers) ^[3]

MSNBC's highest-rated program is The Rachel Maddow Show, which averaged 2.02 million viewers in July 2025 ^[1] and 2.039 million viewers in the second quarter ^[2]. This represents a significant gap between Fox News and MSNBC's top programming.

CNN trails significantly with Anderson Cooper 360 as its most-watched program, averaging only 573,000 viewers ^{[4] [1]}. Other CNN programs mentioned include The Situation Room with Wolf Blitzer and Pamela Brown with 600,000 total viewers and CNN NewsNight with Abby Phillip with 106,000 demo viewers ^[5].

2. Missing context/alternative viewpoints

The ratings data reveals several important contextual factors not immediately apparent:

• Dramatic audience disparities: Fox News programs consistently draw 5-6 times more viewers than CNN's top shows, indicating a substantial competitive advantage that benefits Fox News Corporation's advertising revenue and market position ^[1].
• Time slot variations: The data shows that 11 AM is CNN's highest-rated hour ^[5], suggesting that traditional primetime dominance may not apply equally across networks, which could benefit advertisers seeking specific demographic targeting.
• Demographic considerations: While total viewership numbers are provided, the analyses mention "demo viewers" for some programs ^[5], indicating that the valuable 25-54 demographic may tell a different story than total viewership, potentially benefiting networks with younger audiences in advertising negotiations.
• Seasonal fluctuations: The data spans different time periods (July 2025, second quarter 2025, specific weeks), showing that ratings can vary significantly even within the same season ^{[6] [2]}.

3. Potential misinformation/bias in the original statement

The original question contains no inherent misinformation or bias - it's a straightforward factual inquiry about television ratings. However, there are important limitations to consider:

• Incomplete timeframe specification: The question asks about "the 2025 season" without defining whether this means calendar year, broadcast season, or specific quarters, which could lead to different interpretations of the data.
• Missing context about rating methodologies: The sources don't explain whether these are live viewership numbers, include streaming/on-demand viewing, or account for time-shifted viewing, which increasingly affects how audiences consume news programming.
• Potential selection bias in reporting: The sources primarily focus on traditional cable viewership metrics, which may not reflect the full picture of news consumption in 2025, potentially benefiting traditional cable providers while understating digital-first news platforms' influence.

The data consistently shows Fox News maintaining substantial viewership dominance, MSNBC holding a distant second position, and CNN struggling with significantly lower audience numbers across multiple measurement periods in 2025.